Perma-Chink Systems, Inc
Log & Timber Home Care Experts
Stretching Your Dollar With Lifeline Ultra-2
For over 40 years Perma-Chink Systems has cared for log and timber homes through exceptional products designed to outlast and out-perform anything on the market. Getting the most for your money is something we can all identify with, and we endeavor to create significant value for our customers.
Perma-Chink Systems products protect and enhance more than just log homes.
By Wayne Bell, LogHomeCareOnline.com
Log homes come in many varieties - milled, hand-scribed, square (Appalachian style) logs, D-logs, and more. Other forms of solid-timber construction include timber frame and post and beam homes, which provide flexibility to build the architectural style of home you desire, from rustic to modern, while employing modern building and energy-efficient construction methods. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between timber frame and post and beam homes compared to traditional log homes.
How should I go about making sure that I get started right when it comes to maintenance? How critical is it to begin proper maintenance when the home is new?
Research
Do your research in finding the right system. We provide a robust library of Tech Tips that provides information you need to take care of your log and timber home. New homes should not have issues, and we recommend homeowners perform inspections of their home to find any small issues and fix those now, before they become big issues.
Perma-Chink Systems® newest finish option, Log & Timber Defense™, has been quite the success for customers looking for a hybrid finish for their log homes. Unlike our traditional Lifeline film-forming wood finishes, Log & Timber Defense penetrates your wood. As it absorbs into the wood surface, it forms a strong lattice network within the wood, reinforcing and strengthening the entire system from the inside out. Due to its elastomeric nature and penetration, it greatly reduces the chances of peeling and flaking by leaving the system breathable to water vapor. Many penetrating oil-based finishes can also form a lattice-like network, but unfortunately these finishes contain harmful flammable solvents that make working with them both dangerous for you and our environment. In contrast, our Log & Timber Defense is water-based, making it both easier and safer to work with.
Being green isn't being the color green - although we make a family of bold colors like this green finish in the picture above. Our standard and custom colors aside, being "green" is how our products are produced to be safe for the environment.
We know that in today’s environment being “green” is considered an important factor in the decision process of many of our customers. Being “green” - environmentally friendly - is one reason why log homes are so popular. But what about the finishes used on log homes, can they be “green” as well? The answer depends on the criteria used to define “green.”
Anyone who has trees on their property has probably seen a carpenter ant here or there at one time or another. Foraging ants roam far and wide looking for food and an occasional sighting is common.
However, if you’ve seen more than a few, there are some things you should know. First of all, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they sure can damage it. They get their name because they chew through wood creating tunnels and galleries. Usually they nest in moist wood, however, if that’s not available they will expand into sound, dry wood where structural damage can take place quickly. Some even nest in foam, fiberglass insulation, or wood/foam composites.
By Jared Turner
Folks have been trapped inside their homes for lengthy periods of time this winter. Whether it was to escape the cold or shelter from Covid, you are ready for a change. So, as you emerge from your long winter hibernation, take time to stretch, rub the sleepy out of your eyes and put the coffee on. Once you have all of that out of the way, it is time to open your door to Spring and consider the benefits of Forest Living.
How to Prepare New Construction Log Surfaces for Finishing
New logs may look clean and fresh to you, but it doesn’t mean that they are ready to stain. There is some preparation involved in getting new logs ready for finishing.
As our country was founded, established and expanded, log homes were prevalent across the colonies. President Abraham Lincoln was famously raised in a log home, and that home is still preserved today. Some of our greatest presidents came from humble beginnings and modest homes. What some people might not know is a log home constructed in 1808 was built on George Washington's Farm. 
One of the key bits of information for keeping hardwood floors shiny is knowing what type of finish has been applied to the wood. Was your hardwood sealed with a polyurethane or polyacrylic urethane finish, or was it finished with a paste wax? If you don't know, here's a test to help you make the best cleaning choices:
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In a spot with normal foot traffic, place a drop of water on the floor. If the water is quickly absorbed or causes spotting on the finish, this indicates the hardwood has not been sealed and should never be cleaned with water. But if the bead of water just sits on the surface without being absorbed, it means the hardwood floor has been sealed.
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To test for a paste wax finish, grab some fine steel wool and rub it lightly over the floor in a corner. If the floor has been waxed, there will be a gray, waxy film left on the steel wool.
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